The Boston Celtics are having a great season, but one of their key contributors is gone after Anfernee Simons was traded to the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday.
The Celtics got two-time All-Star Nikola Vucevic in return, but Simmons’ departure still hurts. With reigning Sixth Man of the Year Payton Pritchard entering the starting five this season, Simmons has performed well off the bench in Boston, averaging 14.2 points per game and playing in all 49 of the team’s games.
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After scoring 26 points and helping defeat the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday night, Pritchard shared his thoughts on the trade with the media.
“Love Ant. When you build a bond with your teammates, it’s hard to see them go — Al Horford, Jrue Holiday, Luke, KP, now Anfernee, you’re definitely going to miss them, but that’s part of the business,” Pritchard told reporters. “So, you wish him well and then when you see him, you attack him.”
As Pritchard said, he’s had to say goodbye to a lot of his teammates recently. After enjoying great continuity over the past two seasons, the Celtics moved on from Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford and Luke Kornet last summer. They acquired Simmons in a holiday trade with the Portland Trail Blazers, but now he’s gone, too.
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Unfortunately, this is life in the NBA. Teammates come and go all the time, and Simmons was considered a trade candidate as soon as he arrived. Still, losing him doesn’t make it any easier or less painful for a Boston team that has developed tremendous chemistry this season.
Fortunately, the Celtics didn’t seem to miss Simmons too much on the court Tuesday. Hopefully the same will be true Wednesday when they face the Houston Rockets on the second night of a back-to-back.
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